But it\u2019s the word \u2018viable\u2019 that also leads a lot of app owners and developers to stumble. Here\u2019s why. When \u2018viability\u2019 is your goal, you risk setting the bar too low. You risk straying into subjective territory, too \u2014 what you\u2019re sure your app needs to succeed might be different to your co-founder, or to the people you\u2019re actually designing for.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s unpack each of those challenges in a little more detail…<\/p>\n There\u2019s a delicate balance to achieve when designing your MVP. Yes, you want it to be minimal \u2014 that\u2019s how you get to market quickly and gather feedback. But you need to understand what \u2018minimal\u2019 means in this context.<\/p>\n When used alongside \u2018viable\u2019, many app owners mistakenly assume a barebones app that simply \u201cgets the job done\u201d will suffice. But it won\u2019t.<\/p>\n Think of it this way: your MVP needs to be picked up, used, and enjoyed<\/em> by your audience. You don\u2019t stand to learn very much at all if no-one comes back after their first session. And focusing too much on viability is an easy way to lose track of what really matters: shipping a product that users want to engage with.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to go overboard when developing your app\u2019s MVP. You want to make sure your users have everything they need, but remember: you don\u2019t need to deliver everything at once.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve seen clients in the past who hesitate on launching their MVP, for fear that they\u2019ve overlooked a \u201cviable\u201d feature. That\u2019s where the hazy definition of \u2018viable\u2019 causes trouble again. Yes, it\u2019s viable and we could build it now \u2014 but should<\/em> we, and why<\/em>?<\/p>\n Reset your compass to its true north: your users\u2019 needs.<\/p>\n And you\u2019ll find that process much easier when you stop thinking so hard about viability, and start assessing the value<\/em> of each feature instead.<\/p>\n Your app’s goal is simple: solve a user need, and do so in a way that\u2019s engaging and delightful.<\/p>\n Focusing on value allows Cheesecake Labs to achieve that straight out the gate with your MVP. Our team looks at your users, what they want, and the issues they have. We learn this during our Product Definition Phase<\/a>, where we explore your app idea in the context of your users, your business goals, and the market.<\/p>\n We\u2019ll ask:<\/p>\n Knowing this helps us create a strategic product roadmap for your app \u2014 a roadmap that starts with your MVP.<\/p>\n We get an understanding of what features are most important and how best to deliver those features. What you get in return is an MVP that\u2019s not just the simplest version of what you have to offer \u2014 it\u2019s what\u2019s essential for a successful launch.<\/p>\n Every successful app is user-centric and provides value to those users. Lose sight of who you\u2019re designing for and why, and you\u2019ll quickly stray off-course. But at Cheesecake Labs we build delightful digital products that add value for your business, too.<\/p>\n As we said before, a \u2018minimum viable\u2019 product offers little by way of learning opportunities or business-critical benefits. Starting with value in mind, however, unlocks so much more:<\/p>\n Risk is inherent when launching a new app. Risk of failure \u2014 financially, reputationally, or otherwise \u2014 is something to consider and mitigate against.<\/p>\n Focusing on value is how you do that.<\/p>\n When you strive to add value above all else, you\u2019ve got a better chance of resonating with users. You aren’t throwing ideas or innovations against the wall and seeing what sticks. You’re launching your app with a plan and feature set that\u2019s been well-explored and validated, at least in part, during your Definition phase<\/a>.<\/p>\n The value proposition of an MVP is pretty simple: start small with your app and provide the features your users would value most. That, of course, is the first step of a much longer journey.<\/p>\n Once you release your value-driven app into the wild, you\u2019ll start learning right away. User feedback and behavior will tell you if your initial release hit the mark or not \u2014 and why. This is all essential insight, and will continue to add value in the total lifecycle of your app.<\/p>\n Think of your \u2018minimum valuable product\u2019 as a V1 of your \u2018final\u2019 product, not as a precursor or something altogether disconnected. It\u2019s the foundation from which you\u2019ll keep on building; eliminating guesswork and progressing with a more informed, more accurate, budget and runway.<\/p>\n We get it: your app is a labor of love. It will be for us too, if you partner with Cheesecake Labs. And when you\u2019ve poured your heart, soul (and months of effort) into a product, you want it to be everything you had imagined<\/em>.<\/p>\n Or do you?<\/p>\n Trying to deliver everything, right away, is the enemy of the \u2018minimum valuable<\/strong> product\u2019. It can paralyze your progress; overwhelming your roadmap and requiring your launch date to be pushed back (and back, and back\u2026).<\/p>\n But when you focus on what\u2019s essential to deliver value, then everyone\u2019s a winner. Your users get the app they need to solve their problems today. Your investors and other stakeholders know why we\u2019ve shipped what we\u2019ve shipped, and have a clear vision of where we\u2019re headed next.<\/p>\n And, guess what, when things do need to change \u2014 as they will \u2014 those changes are painless to make. Your MVP can respond to changing user needs, new entrants to the marketplace, new technologies that become available, and so on. Better still, you can do it from a place of positivity \u2014 you\u2019ve overcome any fears of failure, because you launched ready to learn<\/em>.<\/p>\n You could say that your MVP sets the tone for your product\u2019s future success. Start off on the right foot \u2014 by prioritizing value for your users and your business<\/strong><\/em> \u2014 and you\u2019ll carry that ethos with you throughout the rest of the journey.<\/p>\n Because application development<\/a> is a rinse and repeat cycle, you should always build, measure, and learn. Even half a decade later, your app will never be static; there will always be pivots and potential to Optimize<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d is a question we associate with value: \u201cWhy should our MVP\/our app have this feature, today or in the future?\u201d<\/p>\n Asking \u201cWhat?\u201d first risks too great a focus on what\u2019s possible or what could be built, rather than why that matters.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re ready to ask \u201cWhy?\u201d and put the \u2018value\u2019 in MVP, then so are we. Get in touch with the Cheesecake Labs team today<\/a> and let\u2019s discuss first steps for your app development.<\/p>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\nIs \u2018viability\u2019 really what we should be aiming for?<\/h2>\n
\u2018Minimum\u2019 + \u2018viable\u2019 = a lackluster initial release<\/h3>\n
\u201cIf I was using this app, I\u2019d want\u2026\u201d<\/h3>\n
The Cheesecake Labs approach to minimum \u2018valuable\u2019 product design<\/h2>\n
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What your business stands to gain from a value-led MVP<\/h2>\n
Value-based products mitigate risk<\/h3>\n
Work smarter, not harder<\/h3>\n
Change doesn\u2019t have to mean disruption (or disappointment)<\/h3>\n
Let the why inform what you need in your MVP<\/h2>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"